Value of coincidences.

[Minimalist]

I felt that something was guiding people and things happened for a reason.

I have a good friend who always says "everything happens for a reason."  After deep consideration I have concluded that most things happen because most people are assholes.

[ApeNotKillApe]

Why do people say things happen for a reason as if it's an inherently positive thing? What if the reason is shitty?

[emjay]

I just think about coincidences in terms of brain mechanics... that thinking about something 'primes' it in the neural networks of the brain and biases input making it more likely that you will notice things related to it... things you would not notice if you hadn't been thinking about it. So if someone notices something and says 'that's funny, I was just thinking about that the other day' then all I can really say is 'there's your answer' 

[robvalue]

Everything that happens is "a coincidence" if viewed a certain way. People irrationally apply extra significance to events, it seems to be a natural human trait.

And obviously there's confirmation bias; no one comments on the billions of things happening all the time that they don't consider a coincidence.

The word for that is Apophenia. 

[source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apophenia]

Nice! Thank you I wasn't aware of that term.

Regarding "everything happens for a reason", that's an extremely redundant and in fact overly simplistic explanation. Things happen for a lot of reasons, such as the state of things just before them and the rules governing the system. Of course, they mean "reason" as in some intelligent agent giving us messages. So it's back to applefeeder. I mean apophenia.

[Cato]

I felt that something was guiding people and things happened for a reason.

I have a good friend who always says "everything happens for a reason."  After deep consideration I have concluded that most things happen because most people are assholes.

I mean this as a sincere compliment. The last sentence came off as a Twain-Mencken hybrid.

[robvalue]

Does anyone else call it a co-ink-ee-dink?

[Joods]

I've heard that before, Rob.

[J a c k]

Does anyone else call it a co-ink-ee-dink?

Yes. 


I got married on January 28. I signed the lease to my new apartment as a single woman ten years later  on January 28 (coincidence, not on purpose). 

I could try to give it a subliminal message just to feel that it was romantic in a way, but there is no message. No code. No reason other than... shit happens. Still, I think it's funny that people give meaning to things like that. Yeah, buddy. There's a dude with wings holding a torch and he had a purpose with the number 28. He's into coding and shit. My next partner will have 28 freckles on her back and have 28 bottles of beer on her wall. Also, I'm 30. Thirty minus two is... gasp... 28!

[robvalue]

You're 30? Nice, I'm 39 today young lady

Another coinkidinkee, my birthday has fallen on Easter Sunday, for the first time in my life I think. It might not happen again!

The stars have aligned, and the result appears to be lots of sweets

[J a c k]

You're 30? Nice, I'm 39 today young lady

Another coinkidinkee, my birthday has fallen on Easter Sunday, for the first time in my life I think. It might not happen again!

The stars have aligned, and the result appears to be lots of sweets

Todaaaaaaaay? (Runs to birthday gift market) 

I'll be back. (Arnold voice)